Heather Engelhart, Adjunct Faculty, Adult Education
I have been an educator for over 22 years and have had the privilege to teach both children and adults. However, teaching Adult Education students at Waubonsee Community College for the past seven years has provided me a new and refreshing understanding and appreciation. It has opened my eyes to the vast realm of "nontraditional" learners, the challenges they face, and the inspiration they offer.
A nontraditional student in Waubonsee’s Adult Education program typically did not go through the K-12 U.S. educational system. These students do not necessarily see themselves as students either. They may not have the same self-motivation as the "traditional" learner. I have found students who had to drop out of school at various ages due to personal reasons and challenges in their lives. Some students have never had a formal education. Many students immigrate to the U.S. from other countries in search of better education, career, and living opportunities. Some of those students have already received their high school, bachelor's, or doctorate degrees in their country. Now they are starting over again to better their lives here in America.
The ages of our Adult Education students range anywhere from 16 years old to 70+! It is so important that we instructors help these students to overcome the barriers that they face. I have had some amazing students throughout the years. I have had a 65-year-old man who dropped out of school at age 14. He turned to the streets, drugs, and gangs. He proved that it is never too late to get your life together. This student graduated with his GED and immediately moved on to a program offered through Waubonsee. Within a year, he had an internship in the career he was passionate about pursuing. I have had a student who has been with the program for years to learn English. She has now moved on to work towards her GED. She has seen such horrors in her life, surviving genocide in her country and working hard to be educated here.
Many students have been unsuccessful in the "traditional" classroom setting, which can be due to many factors, such as anxiety, depression, family obligations, undiagnosed learning disabilities, and several other barriers in their lives. They come to Waubonsee's Adult Education program and find that this program works for them. They discover that they will obtain the goals that they have set for themselves. We must get to know the students and connect with them. We need to inform them of what Waubonsee has to offer to help them succeed.
Adult Education students come to our department looking for our help and support to achieve what they do not even know they can achieve. Many of our students go through this program and then discover that their current job position will improve or better employment opportunities are now attainable. Students learn how quickly they can achieve career training and/or get certified in an area of interest. Then, there are those students who now gain the confidence to continue their education with more courses through Waubonsee Community College.
As much as we teach these students, they teach us so much more. We instructors are impressed and inspired by their dedication and perseverance to reach their goals.
